Martin Babinec knows people — the business of people. Founder and long-time CEO of TriNet, the now-$5 billion revenue professional employer organization, Martin knows talent management; payroll and benefits; employment law and all-things-“HR.” Today, he focuses less on operating businesses and more on growing teams that help others. UpVentures Capital, StartFast Ventures, Entrepreneurs Across Borders, and Upstate Venture Connect all exist because of Martin. Read “More Good Jobs: An Entrepreneur’s Action Plan to Bring Change to your Community.” And, hear Martin as he leads “Talent Management, the Old-New Thing” at Camp David.

Meredith Broadbent is former chair of the U.S. International Trade Commission, now Senior Adviser with the Scholl Chair in International Business at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (a non-partisan research institution, recognized as the top defense and national security think tank in the world). Meredith is a public policy professional with deep expertise in international trade, economics, and negotiating strategy. Her experience spans government including Congress (House Ways and Means Committee), the Executive Office of the President (Ofc. of the U.S. Trade Representative), and an independent agency (as Chair and Commissioner of the USTC for seven years), and now Camp David.

David Deutsch is a veteran investment banker and boardmember. The strategic financial advisor of leading closely-held companies and the original “Board Advisor,” David is founder/president of David N. Deutsch & Company (mergers & acquisitions) and TheBoardAdvisor (board advisory), managing member of The Presidents Council (a group of senior execs who gather regularly for fraternity, education and making group private equity investments), and founder/host of The Saratoga Weekend (aka “Camp David”). Est. in 1993, David N. Deutsch & Company is known for the quality and scope of its advice, its long-term relationships, and its success in 130+ assignments. David was a founding Trustee of the Museum of American Finance (Smithsonian) where he chaired the Nominating Committee to the Board, served as Treasurer and Vice Chmn., was a member of the Board of Earth Day Network (the nexus of all global Earth Day activities), and is a long-time Board-member and Treasurer of BRANY, among other prominent board roles. When David’s not banking, advising boards, or investing, he’s a single-Dad to three above-average children, a Triathlete and a studies Krav Maga, the hand-to-hand combat system of the Israel Defense Forces.

Davide Gristina is a 2nd degree black-belt in Krav Maga and the man behind Krav Maga New York. (Krav Maga, a “martial art” developed and used by the Israeli Defense Forces, is derived from techniques used in aikido, judo, karate, boxing and wrestling. Krav is known for its focus on real-world situations and efficiency.) Davide is a student of the Krav Maga Alliance, whose curriculum stems from the techniques of the legendary Imi Lichtenfeld. Wait a minute; we’re teaching “fighting” at Camp David? Not really. Davide is discussing the “Krav of Business.” Ideas like always-move-forward, attack-the-attack, and the wisest move is not to fight. With a few self-defense tips along the way. In his day job, Davide is Chief Operating Officer of a NYC-based real estate services firm. An infrastructure management, resource consumption, and cost recovery expert, he developed a unique method for the real-time acquisition of energy data and holds US Patent no. 7,069,161.

Former two-term Commissioner of Public Safety and Zoning Board Chair, Ron Kim is the newly re-elected Mayor of Saratoga Springs. He chaired the last City Charter review process and advocated for a “city manager” plan, as being a more efficient form of government, but the voters spoke otherwise – ask him about it. Ron began his career with the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations, the City of New York, and the National Civic League. After law school, he went “big law” (Cahill Gordon and Goodwin Procter), before returning to his non-profit and public sector roots. For eight years before joining City government, he ran the Environmental Federation of New York and was in legal private practice. Every year, “hizzoner” does at least one triathlon (in New York City, Texas, and Bermuda, among other locales).

Ed Mitzen is an American entrepreneur, business executive and philanthropist. Founder of Fingerpaint Marketing (previous founder of Palio Communications, sold to inVentiv Health), Ed is a veteran advertising executive, one of the best for healthcare and pharma companies. His Fingerpaint group includes a growing roster of the world’s leading healthcare and pharma company clients and other agencies as well (like recently acquired Emcay, another full-service agency). In December 2022, Fingerpaint partnered with San Francisco-based private equity firm, Knox Lane, to accelerate Fingerpaint’s organic growth and strategic partnerships. But Ed is much more than an “ad man,” he is an impactful philanthropist. And, an inveterate “founder” of things. He happens to have also co-founded Sackatoga Stables (an incredible success of its own, with superhorse, “Tiz The Law”). Meet Ed and his better half (see below) Friday evening when they host us in the North Broadway headquarters and courtyard of Business For Good.

Lisa Mitzen is changing the way philanthropy is done. As she describes it, “if you have what you need, then you give to others.” Business For Good, the dream she shared with her husband, Ed, is the result of that conviction. Business For Good blends business and philanthropy in a new way. It makes donations to non-profit organizations and also works with people who want to be entrepreneurs, providing support that accelerates the development of their businesses, including mentorship, marketing and connecting them with others. BFG began with Lisa and Ed’s purchase of the Bread Basket Bakery in Saratoga, during COVID, then they invested in Hattie’s (the legendary Saratoga restaurant with the “soul” of Miss Hattie, Saratoga community-spirit royalty) and, now, BFG has 100+ investees. Meet Lisa, the “better half” of the Mitzens as they host our group at the Friday evening program.

Mike Okby is a veteran wealth advisor at Morgan Stanley with more than 30 years of experience serving the investment needs of corporate retirement plans, foundations, endowments, Taft-Hartley Plans and high net worth families. Mike is our kind of community-minded executive. Mike is one of Saratoga’s leaders, an alum of “Leadership Saratoga” and long-time senior member of the Saratoga County Chamber. Meet him when he welcomes us to the Saratoga Golf & Polo Club (where he was long-time President).

Serotta bicycles – Ben Serotta is that Serotta – came to prominence in the 1976 Olympics. That same year, one then-young high school student, who happens to host “Camp David,” saved enough money to buy his first road bike from Ben. Used by US powerhouse teams 7-Eleven (‘84-’88) and Coors Light (‘91-94), along with other national and international programs, Serotta became the dominant US builder of high-performance racing bicycles. By 1990, Serotta bicycles had raced to National, European and World Championship titles in road, time-trial, track, mountain and triathlon events. Ben is the father of custom fitting and American custom frames. He and Serotta Cycles have ridden their own storied road from early entrepreneurial success, to sale, to restructuring, to the launch of “Serotta Design Studio” in 2018.

Founder & CEO of 9 Miles East Farm, Gordon Sacks is an irrepressible entrepreneur. After a “corporate” career in marketing, in 2005, Gordon and his wife, Mary, founded 9 Miles East Farm. “we started our farm with the goal of making healthful, ready-to-eat meals and delivering them to our customers. Everything we do is firmly grounded in our mission to bring good, healthy food to busy people.” The Farm, now expanded to 29 acres, grows, processes, and delivers healthy food to customers in New York’s Capital Region, New York City and Boston. It’s a mission with a business… or the other way around. We’re indebted to our long-time Camp David friend, Ken Rawley, for bringing us together with Gordon. Now, for some of that one-of-a-kind, fresh, sourdough-crust pizza at the 9ME farmstand/cafe.

President, Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce

Long-time Saratoga County Chamber President, Todd Shimkus, welcomes us Thursday night. A Tufts Masters in Public Policy grad, Todd is a veteran public/private partnership professional and the perennial “other Mayor” of Saratoga. Perhaps even more important about Todd is his book, “I’m Not Ready For This…,” a personal memoir of his care for his mom with Alzheimers through Covid.

Joan Woodward is an Economist, Founding President of the Travelers Institute, Executive Vice President of Travelers insurance and the creator and host of “Wednesdays With Woodward,” Travelers’ signature thought leadership weekly webinar series. Long-time Goldman Sachs executive (Founding Director of Washington Research, Global Investment Research and Founding Executive Director of Goldman’s Global Markets Institute), Joan was previously Chief Economist of the Budget Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives, Policy Director of the Committee on Governmental Affairs of the U.S. Senate, and Deputy Chief of Staff of the Finance Committee of the U.S. Senate. Joan is as clever and engaging as she is smart. She’ll guide us through the next economic and political cycles at Camp David.